WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Hurricane Milton is currently a Category 5 storm on Tuesday, located about 450 miles away from the east coast of Florida.
Ahead of Milton making landfall near Sarasota early Thursday morning, it will encounter some shear and drier air, which will help the system weaken slightly.
"This is certainly an overnight event into Thursday morning," WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist Jennifer Correa said.
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There are mandatory evacuations along the west coast of Florida due to storm surge concerns. Loose debris from Hurricane Helene two weeks ago that hasn't been cleaned up or secured will be life-threatening, as it will be lashed across the area with the strong winds.
"Parts of St. Lucie County, Martin County, northwestern Palm Beach County, and the lake under that slight risk for isolated flash flooding," Correa said. "More flash flooding, though, expected across northern parts of Okeechobee, Indian River counties."
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We will experience increasing winds on Tuesday with more scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon and into the early evening hours.
The threat of tornadic activity will increase Wednesday morning, and the threat for tropical storm force winds will exist Wednesday through Thursday.
Correa said the strongest winds in our viewing area — especially in Indian River and Okeechobee counties — will likely be between 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. Thursday. Then as we get closer to 10 a.m. and noon, Milton's center will start to exit and the winds won't be as breezy.
"As we get into your Wednesday, this is going to be one of your impact days from Milton," WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist Frances Peyton said. "A lot of good rainfall moves across the area Wednesday morning and continues into the afternoon and evening timeframe."
Peyton said the wind will really pick up starting Wednesday afternoon, with gusts of anywhere between 30 to 70 mph possible, along with additional rainfall totals of one to three inches.
"The farther north you go, the stronger the winds are going to be," Peyton said. "We're going to expect to see some winds gusts up to 75 miles per hour, especially near the peak of this near Wednesday night into Thursday."
Peyton added that strong winds and a tornado threat could linger into Thursday. Drier air will eventually move into South Florida starting on Friday.
Hurricane Milton is fast-moving and looks to cross the state in a matter of about 10 hours after landfall.
